As protesters filled the lawn at Capitol Hill to the seams, cameras landed in swarms, delegates
and party bigwigs paraded their candidates’ causes, and blank-faced onlookers with a delicate
half-interest lined the streets, the eyes of the nation and—daresay I—the world shifted to rest
upon our Twin Cities. And while the mass media, the lens that brought our cities into focus, have
the attention span of a young child, city leaders have salivated over the events of the Republican
National Convention for years. They placed much faith in the convention’s ability to launch this
unique area into the upper echelon of citydom. Whether their hopeful visions unfold in the manner
they expect remains to be seen.

On the city’s website, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman calls the RNC a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
He asserts that (it’s) “not about politics—it’s about business.” And creating business
is about appealing to potential customers. That’s why the cities expended considerable energy
tidying up the area. Teresa MacFarlane of the Minneapolis St.-Paul Host Committee—the group
charged with RNC preparations—outlines the efforts: “Raise money to put on the convention, recruit
10,000 volunteers, and promote the area. These were our three goals.” Promoting the area
involved creating reading material for the media—they wanted the broadcasters well-equipped
to display our cities at their finest. The goal was to prove our cities’ ability to handle their fame,
operate smoothly, and put on an exciting show. The Host Committee also hosted cutesy events
that allowed citizens to wash taxi-cabs with the mayor. They encouraged residents to plant new
flowers, spike American flags into their front lawns, and clean up trash. And lo! the streets were
meticulous.

All of this micromanagement was supposed to reap heaping rewards, according to the Host Committee
and Mayor Coleman. “Conventions are second only to the Olympics in media exposure,”
asserts MacFarlane. If the people without like what they see, the cities will attract increased
tourism, according to the Host Committee. They also look forward to an increased business investment; businesses previously foreign will set up shop within our borders. The economy will
get a short-term jolt of $150 million to $250 million in investment, something like a financial Red
Bull. And lastly, new workers pierced by the Host Committee’s arrow will fall in love with Minneapolis-
St. Paul, flock to these northern lands, sparking long-term economic growth.

And our campus will prosper politically. Abdul Magba-Kamara, president of the College
Republicans, seems excited about his group’s political opportunities, informing me that
their goal during the convention was to “get the Libertarians and conservatives to come
out,” demographics sometimes swept away to the margins by the strong liberal currents
that frequent college campuses. The convention seems conceived in the minds of the
College Republicans as a spark to ignite the political fuel that exists here already. Thus,
Magba-Kamara “does not expect the balance to shift toward conservatism” as a result of
the convention.

The chairman of the University’s DFL chapter, Justin Henry, agrees, saying, “The students
are very interested. But it’s clear that students are in favor of Obama. I don’t see the convention
changing that.” According to these two campus political leaders, we can expect to
witness a general rising tide of political interest, awareness, and activism, benefiting the
student body as a whole. We will be spontaneously informed and interested.
These are the benefits of hosting the Republican Convention. The picture presented is the
shiny one, stamped on the corner with a smiley face. Some, including city leaders and host
committee members, believe heartily in this angle. Others, however, are not so convinced.
The beast, it seems, conceals some sinister teeth. There is the lack of African-American
organizations on the Minneapolis-St. Paul 2008 Host Committee’s list of “preferred businesses,”
as Twin Cities Daily Planet notes. Members of the Minnesota Black Chamber of
Commerce assert they were promised spots on the list. Teresa MacFarlane claims the
group is listed on the website; no such listing can be found.

Also, one cannot ignore the battle between police and protester. Mabga-Kamara and his
Republicans assert the police have done “exactly what they should do. These anarchist
groups are only trying to cause mayhem.” He proceeded to suggest the police have been
too soft: “They let the radicals have too much leeway.” But overall, Magba-Kamara gives
the police the thumbs-up, saying, “I’ve been very happy with the response; everything has
been tip-top legal.”

Henry does not agree. Although he believes “the police were in a difficult
situation, they took it too far. It is concerning when there are places
where people aren’t allowed to walk, these freedom of speech ‘zones.’
It doesn’t really fit in this country.” Whether police are portrayed as
protecting or brutal depends on the holders of information, the media.
While disgust at police actions appears to be widely distributed online
among bloggers and holder of independent opinions, major news
sources have been mostly silent or impartial on the matter.

The student body seems mixed about the police response. One student
told me he “only heard headlines, but the cops were overanxious
and out of line. They tear-gassed a cameraman.”

Another student was frustrated the protesters “chose to be violent.
I have no problem with protesters, but police were just trying to
keep things under control.” However, she continued by admitting
the police “may have overstepped things.”

Still another person believes that “it’s unfortunate that some protesters
chose to be violent, but the police should be bigger people
and not lump the peaceful with the violent in their response.” Someone
else responded that “it’s not like [the police] started doing it for
no reason; it was aggravated.”

Certainly, there are pockets of passionate opinion. “I can’t think of
anything that speaks order like watching a riot cop drag a citizen by
his feet through the streets,” proclaims Adam Luesse, a sophomore
at our fine university, who feels strongly about the police response.
Same goes for hearing newscasters expound stories of “pre-emptive”
raids on the homes of activists considered to pose a possible
threat. One student unequivocally proclaimed that “the police response
was a disgrace to democracy. It’s disappointing that our government
resorts to silencing our voice.”

But a little dose of harsh justice is a necessary measure to ensure
things go according to plan with such a high-stakes event, right?
However, some will argue the brand of justice police employed entailed
inappropriate conduct. One example: Luesse was heckled and
sworn at by a group of cops only because he had his hands in his
pockets. He surely did not expect to be interrupted from walking
peacefully, thrown around, told to “take that fucking backpack off,”
have eyewear for anthropology class stolen from him, and called
“goggle boy” by riot cops.

“Their power was definitely overstepped. I felt victimized because
I was wearing a black shirt with a red star. Not only did they single
me out, they disrespected me and physically bullied me; they could
have been more professional about it. If it’s their job to protect the
Republicans there, it’s also their job to protect the rights of protesters,”
Luesse said.

Indeed, a fair number of college students experienced similar circumstances.
Students displaying red and white wristbands—souvenirs
from their arrests—can be spotted around campus. In that
sense, it certainly hits close to home and has left an impression.

“We can expect to witness a general rising tide of political interest,
awareness, and activism, benefiting the student body as a whole.”

Tags: UMPD